Official Luthiers Forum!

Was just looking for some opinions on this construction method.

I generally use a Scarf Joint for the headstock angle with an additional 5mm slip of Wenge between the two pieces (mainly for aesthetics). I'm looking to do some proper "serious" builds with really nice quality woods. When it comes to the neck does the scarf joint construction negate the advantages of quarter sawn maple?

I may be overthinking things, as I usually have some carbon rods in there as well but just looking to get opinions.

Thanks!

Cip123

Quartersawn wood is generally stiffer than flat sawn wood and it also shrinks and swells less across the grain making the neck more stable under the fingerboard.

Those are the primary reasons many builders prefer quartersawn wood for necks.

Neither will suffer any adverse effects in a scarf joint.

Personally I probably wouldn't add a layer of another wood in the joint because it's shrink/swell rate might be different than the maple adding some unnecessary stress to the scarf.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

The maple will still be in vertical grain orientation just one piece will be upside down in the scarf joint. So, it will still behave as quarter sawn. I have done a few maple necks with scarf joints and never gave it a second thought.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.